James Bond: Bodyguard's Richard Madden now bookies favourite to be the next 007

Is Richard Madden the next James Bond? Bodyguard role sees actor’s odds slashed

Another week, another “XXX is the favourite to be the next James Bond” story… and this week’s latest hot tip as the next 007: Richard Madden.

Bookies have slashed odds on the Bodyguard star to take over from Daniel Craig after The Mail on Sunday ran a story that suggesting Madden was going to be offered the role “in the next few days”.

According to their “sources”, Bond producer Barbara Broccoli was preparing to make a formal invitation to the 32-year-old Scot. “It’s seriously looking like he [Madden] is going to get the job. Not only is he on top of Barbara’s list, but she is preparing to offer the role,” the unnamed source claimed.

The actor, who also played Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, overtakes previous favourite Tom Hiddleston at 11/4 (previously 3/1), and outsiders Tom Hardy and Idris Elba who are both now at 6/1.

Danny Dyer is currently at 500/1.

Richard Madden in Bodyguard with Keeley Hawes (BBC Pictures).

Betway’s Alan Alger said: “Since his performance in Bodyguard, there has been plenty of speculation about Richard Madden being the next James Bond and we’ve seen very strong support for this in the last 24 hours.”

In this image released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures/EON Productions, Daniel Craig appears in a scene from the James Bond film, “Spectre.” (Jonathan Olley/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures/EON Productions via AP)

Tough, taciturn, and tortured, it’s not hard to see some Bond in Budd, but could we see Budd as Bond?

Daniel Craig still has one 007 adventure in him, with the Cary Fukunaga-directed Bond 25 scheduled for release in February, 2020. Should Madden be deigned as his replacement, it won’t be at least another two years after that before we get to see him in action.

Before then, we predict we’ll have written about another half-dozen actors who’ve been tipped as the next Bond.